Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 18 (1903)

Lt 67, 1903

Brethren at the Medical Missionary Council

“Elmshaven,” St. Helena, California

April 23, 1903

Portions of this letter are published in PM 142. +^Note

To our brethren assembled at the Medical Missionary Council at Battle Creek,—

The work committed to us by the Lord will advance rapidly only when we labor in unity. In unity there is a life, a power, that cannot be obtained without it. United with one another, working together in harmony for the salvation of men, we shall indeed be “laborers together with God.” [1 Corinthians 3:9.] 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 1

“Yes,” says one, “this is exactly what I believe in—consolidation.” But Christian unity is not what the world calls consolidation. Unity among brethren results in consolidation with Christ and with the heavenly angels. Such consolidation is heavenborn. It is that for which Christ longed when He prayed for unity among His disciples. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 2

Last July, in the night season, it seemed as if I were speaking to a large company of brethren and sisters. Before me were some who had superior tact and ability to reach souls—men and women who, if consecrated, could have awakened many of the careless, the indifferent, the godless. But these church members had lost their hold on Jesus. They desired to command, not to serve. No longer were they united with love for one another and for perishing souls. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 3

While I was speaking, a heavenly Messenger came forward, and said: “Have you forgotten the scenes of Gethsemane? Christ passed through His last terrible trial in order that you might not perish, but have eternal life. ‘Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.’ [1 John 3:16.] 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 4

“By your failure to work in harmony, you are greatly dishonoring God. The enemy of your souls delights to see you working at cross-purposes with one another. You need to cultivate brotherly love and tenderness of heart. If you could draw aside the curtain veiling the future, and see the result of your present course, you would surely be led to repent. By repentance you can save yourselves much sorrow. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 5

“Would it not be well for you to seek the Lord as the disciples sought Him before the day of Pentecost? After Christ’s ascension, His disciples—men of varied talents and capabilities—assembled in an upper chamber to pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this room ‘all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.’ [Acts 1:14.] They made thorough work for repentance by confessing their own sins. Upon them was laid no burden to confess one another’s sins. Settling all differences and alienations, they were of one accord and prayed with unity of purpose for ten days, at the end of which time ‘they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.’ [Acts 2:4.] 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 6

“The Holy Spirit cannot be revealed to you while dissension and strife exist. Would it not be well for you to lay ‘aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,’ and ‘as newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby’? [1 Peter 2:1, 2.] 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 7

“If you would unitedly put away your unchristlike, hereditary and cultivated traits, and work together, the Lord could work through you. But souls will not be convicted and converted until you come into unity and Christian fellowship. Lose sight of self. Keep your eyes fixed upon the Redeemer. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 8

“The representation that you make before believers and unbelievers is one of variance and strife. Clear away this rubbish. Press together. Be satisfied with nothing less than a thorough work of humiliation and repentance. Work as for your lives to overcome every evil trait of character. You are not placed in the Lord’s vineyard to create dissension and alienation. Sweep away the evils that have crept in. ‘Consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.’ [Hebrews 10:24.] 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 9

“The Lord designs that all His children shall blend in unity. Do you not expect to live together in unity in the same heaven? Is Christ divided against Himself. Will He give you success before all the rubbish of evil surmising and discord is swept away; before the laborers with unity of purpose devote heart, soul, mind, and strength to the work so holy in God’s sight? ‘As He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.’ [1 Peter 1:15.] 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 10

“In Christ’s prayer for His disciples He petitioned His Father: ‘Sanctify them through Thy truth: Thy Word is truth. As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.’ Who is being sanctified through the truth? ‘Neither pray I for these alone,’ He continued, ‘but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me. And the glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved me.’ [John 17:17-23.] 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 11

“The prayer of Christ is not yet answered. There is a work that still remains undone. Although engaged in the Master’s service, many laborers are envious, full of strife, destitute of the love that should be in their hearts. Those who claim to be Christians but who reveal the characteristics of worldlings are dishonoring the name of Jesus. Will you not consider the representation that you are making before unbelievers? Will you not seek for the blessing of the Holy Spirit, that you may answer the prayer of Christ? Would it not be well for you to pray that you shall not disappoint the Lord Jesus by failing to be His instrumentalities? When in word and deed you answer His prayer, putting away all variance, His Spirit will bear witness that you are His instrumentalities, and the world will take knowledge of you, that you have been with Jesus and have learned of Him. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 12

“The Lord calls upon those now working in connection with His cause to repent and be converted. Many, standing in their own light, are wasting precious opportunities. There is great need of coming together with deep humiliation and sincere repentance because of the lack of unity and brotherly love that has been manifested. In the Word, Christians are instructed not to neglect the assembling of themselves together. If need be, come together with fasting. Make most diligent search for the cause of your soul-sickness, which must be healed. Until in every sense of the word you are Christians in your association with one another, until you love as brethren, how can your efforts for unbelievers be acceptable to God? Your first work is to be converted yourselves.” 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 13

*****

God says, “If those who have allowed a wrong spirit to control them will come to Me in repentance, and will confess their sins, I will hear their prayers and will pardon them. But if they do not come to Me, if they consult human agencies, and allow themselves to be leavened with the leaven of human malice and evil surmising, they will surely be separated from My work.” 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 14

The stubborn and hardhearted, unless they repent, will be separated from the work. The Lord Jesus cannot accept the labors of any man who has left his first love. He may have the capabilities essential for the work, but unless the love of Christ is burning on the altar of his heart, the want of that love will be seen in all his work, and Christ will be misrepresented. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 15

How thankful we should be that the Lord is willing to accept every one who manifests repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ! Let us never place bars in the way of any soul, so that he will not have the courage to engage in the good warfare against Satan’s temptations. Instead of criticizing one another, let us deal sternly with self. With the closest introspection let us examine our peculiar temperament and weaknesses of character. Let us deal decidedly and bravely with our perverse disposition, so that we shall not dishonor God. Let us remember that we are all members of one body, and that among these members there is to be no crowding, no judging, no measuring of one gift by another. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 16

God calls for light-bearers who will fill the world with the light and peace and joy that come from Christ. God will use humble men, men who will cherish a sense of their weakness, who will not think that the work of God depends on them. Such men will remember what the service of God demands from them—the propriety of speech and action that God calls for. They will reveal that Christ dwells in the heart, imparting purity to the whole being. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 17

My brethren, will you not realize that there is much at stake? Will you not conduct the work in so healthful and wholesome a manner that all the threads now tangled and knotted will be straightened out? Forget not to “consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” [Hebrews 10:24.] If you will now draw nigh to God, many of those who are in serious perplexity because of their self-confidence will confess that they have manifested an unchristlike spirit and will turn to Jesus, placing their confidence in Him. Realizing their own weakness, they will wear Christ’s yoke and learn of Him. Receiving His strength, they will become sons of God. 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 18

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” [Philippians 4:8, 9.] 18LtMs, Lt 67, 1903, par. 19